Billing & Financial Assistance

Thank you for choosing Phoenix Children’s for your child’s medical care. When your child is in the hospital or seeing a specialist, you should focus on helping him or her get better. We understand that medical bills can be a concern and we’d like to help by providing information and answers to the questions that we hear most often regarding billing.

The First Step: Registration

Scheduled Hospital Stays

When your child is scheduled for services at Phoenix Children’s, a member of our pre-registration team will contact you by phone 3 to 5 days prior to your appointment. During this call, we’ll ask you some basic questions about your child, the parent or guardian responsible, and about your insurance coverage. The Pre-Registration Process will enable our team to obtain prior authorization with your insurance, if needed, and to provide you with an estimate for charges and any payments due at the time of service. We will bill your insurance company for you.

Emergency Department Visits

If you have an emergency, you will be asked to complete registration when you arrive at our Emergency Department. We will ask you some basic questions about your child, the parent or guardian responsible, and about your insurance coverage. This will enable our team to alert your insurance carrier and determine the portion of the bill you are responsible for. We will bill your insurance company for you.

Doctors’ Appointments or In-Office Procedures

When you call for an appointment with a Phoenix Children’s Medical Group (PCMG) doctor, the scheduler will ask you some basic questions about your child, the parent or guardian responsible, and about your insurance coverage. Your portion of the payment for the office visit is due at the time of service. We will bill your insurance company for you.

Insurance Billing

We will file an insurance claim for you. That’s why it’s so important to have your complete and current insurance information on file with Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Please bring your insurance card with you every time you visit.

Hospital Stays

You will receive two separate billing statements: one for hospital services and one for physician services. You may also receive separate bills from doctors or other providers that assisted in your child’s care. These may include emergency physicians, anesthesiologists, radiologist, home health services, hospice, pathologists or other specialists. Why? Some of these doctors may be independent (not employed by Phoenix Children’s) and/or their services may have different arrangements with your insurance carrier. We all work together to provide excellent care for your child.

Specialty and Urgent Care Center Services

Phoenix Children’s offers care close to home at Specialty and Urgent Care Centers across the Valley. These centers are Hospital-based Clinics, meaning they are part of Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Certain services may result in separate bills for hospital-based services and physician services. Examples include imaging studies and lab work – in addition to receiving a bill from the doctor that treated your child, you’ll receive a bill from Phoenix Children’s Hospital for these and other hospital-based services provided. Urgent Care services will result in one bill for all Phoenix Children’s services used.

Outpatient Visits

If you see the General Pediatricians at Phoenix Children’s Hospital for your child’s primary care, please be sure your insurance contracts with these doctors and list the doctor as your child’s primary care physician.

For specialty care visits (appointments with a pediatric specialist) in our hospital based clinics, you will receive two separate billing statements: one for hospital services (facility charge) and one for physician services (professional fee). Most Phoenix Children’s specialty care clinics are Hospital-based, meaning they are part of Phoenix Children's Hospital.

Observation Services

At times your physician may determine the need to evaluate your child’s condition or determine the need for possible admission to the hospital as an inpatient. Although your child may be staying in the hospital overnight, he/she is an OUTPATIENT of the hospital. As a patient in Observation status, your insurance will pay on an outpatient basis and you may be responsible for any out of pocket expenses such as copayments and deductibles, in accordance with your specific insurance plan. If at a later time your physician determines that your child should be admitted to the hospital as an inpatient, we will notify you of this change from outpatient to inpatient status.

Financial Assistance

No one should delay seeking necessary medical care due to insurance or cost concerns. If you need help understanding your insurance benefits, want more detail regarding estimated charges, or need to make financial arrangements to pay for your portion of the bill, Phoenix Children’s offers Financial Counselors, who are available seven days a week (Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Weekends 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Arizona time).

This dedicated team will help you understand the benefits you’re entitled to and, if eligible, assist you in applying for commercial insurance or AHCCCS coverage. If you cannot afford to pay your bill after all payers have processed your claim(s), we will help you apply for financial assistance from Phoenix Children’s. We will advise you of the documentation required to receive financial assistance.